Having been there before 'a huge help' for Mifflin, Brandywine

No one can measure how valuable experience is when it comes to postseason softball.

Very few will argue that it's not important.

So Gov. Mifflin and Brandywine Heights will have at least one intangible advantage on their sides in today's District 3 softball quarterfinals.

Gov. Mifflin has been in the District 3-AAA championship game in each of the last two years and reached the 3-AAAA semifinals three straight times. The Mustangs will try to make it four in a row at 4:30 today when they play 10th-seeded Dallstown (15-5) at Lebanon Valley College.

It is one of five games involving six Berks teams today in District 3.

"Having been there before was a huge help," Gov. Mifflin coach Frank Keating said after Tuesday's 4-3, eight-inning win over Daniel Boone. "It helps being in the situation before and having been through the wringer."

The Mustangs (14-7) have been through the wringer for the last month after dropping to 7-7 and nearly falling out of the District 3 playoff picture.

A seven-game winning streak has the 18th-seeded Mustangs showing they can be just as good as the team that won the 2009 3-AAAA title or the one that finished second last year and advanced to PIAA semifinals.

"We're so-well coached," said Jess Epler, Gov. Mifflin's starting pitcher for the last four years. "Coach gets us mentally prepared. I honestly think we're so successful because of our coaches and because the team just has so much heart."

Brandywine Heights has shown heart and good coaching throughout its run that includes a Berks-record four straight 3-AA titles. The top-seeded Bullets (20-2) open their quest for one for the thumb at 6:30 tonight at Lyons against Berks III rival Schuylkill Valley.

It's the same starting matchup for the Bullets as 2009 when they struggled to defeat Schuylkill Valley 2-0 during a 27-game winning streak that carried them to the PIAA final.

This season the Bullets defeated the ninth-seeded Panthers (10-8) twice without allowing a run. Brandywine won 10-0 in Leesport April 11 and 11-0 May 7 in Mertztown on a five-inning perfect game by backup pitcher Megan Olsen.

The winner could face another Berks rival, Kutztown, in Tuesday's semifinals. The fourth-seeded Cougars (16-6), last year's runners-up to Brandywine, will face No. 5 seed Hanover (14-5) at 4:30 p.m. at Millersville University.

In Class AAA No. 5 seed Twin Valley (13-6) will travel to York Memorial Park to play surprise quarterfinalist West Perry (12-10) at 4:30 p.m. West Perry, the lowest seed in the 20-team 3-AAA field, has scored a pair of wins, including a 3-2 victory over fourth-seeded Susquehannock Tuesday night.

The Raiders advanced with a 1-0 win over Lampeter-Strasburg by throwing a runner out at home and turning a triple play to support the four-hit pitching of Sam Lichtner.

"In the playoffs this is what you get," Twin Valley coach Jeff Cellucci said. "One little mistake, one break, that's the difference of winning and losing in the playoffs. They're all good teams."

In Class A No. 2 seed Central Catholic (11-6) will take on No. 3 Lebanon Catholic (4-15) at 4:30 p.m. at Garrett Park in Willow Street. The winner will face two-time defending champion Greenwood (16-3) Tuesday for the 3-A title.